Kanze Dena defends government borrowing

State House spokesperson Kanze Dena has defended the government’s borrowing amid concerns that the country's debt is rising to an unsustainable level.

In a statement on Monday, Dena said that there's no country in the world that has been able to develop without borrowing.

“The most important consideration when taking up public debt for development is the ability of the country to honour its debt obligations. Kenya has never failed to service its public debt,” Dena said.

Further, she said that the government has made tremendous progress in the implementation of the Big 4 Agenda.

The Big Four Agenda is a derivative of the Vision 2030 blueprint and covers Universal Health Coverage, manufacturing, food security and affordable housing.

Dena also said that emphasis has been put on UHC most importantly on the expansion of health services.

This is through increase of the number of hospitals across the country, equipping these facilities and recruitment of adequate health workers.

"As part of efforts to grow the pool of health workers in the country, the Government has expanded training opportunities by devolving Kenya Medical Training Colleges (KMTC) to all regions of the country," Dena said.

Further, she noted that in the manufacturing sector, the government has focused on attracting new large-scale investments into the country, especially in the Export Processing Zones (EPZ), and revival of industries like the Kenya Meat Commission (KMC) that had collapsed.

"Irrigated agriculture is the base upon which the Government is seeking to enhance the country's food security alongside the introduction of new, climate-sensitive agricultural production practices that include the provision of seeds that are adapted to climate change," Dena added.

"So much has been achieved in the affordable housing sphere with thousands of housing units across the country having been constructed, and taken up by Kenyans through Boma Yangu and other ownership arrangements."

Dena also noted that the Government projects are transitionary in nature and not tied to the country's political calendar.

"Ongoing infrastructure projects will continue beyond President Uhuru Kenyatta's tenure because existing contracts will still be honoured," Dena added.

Further, she emphasized Health as a largely devolved function.

She said that issues such as remuneration of health workers and associated challenges are a preserve of the devolved units.

"It is, therefore, the responsibility of all Kenyans to ensure that those that they elect to lead our counties give healthcare priority," Dena said.